Up the mountain

Just a note, this is a mid-posting, a quick note between the monthly birding lists to ramble on a little about things beyond the Holt.

A Red-Necked Pademelon

As most of you (my eleven gallant followers) may be aware Pardalote Holt is built on the saddle between two unnamed foothills of Mount Tamborine. Its always seemed a little odd to me that there are so many geographical features in Australia that don't bear a name. I suspect there might be an Aboriginal name for the area, but who knows?  Anyway, I digress, we built the Holt on the side of Mt Tamborine.  The mountain wears a broad kilt of Eucalypt woodland about its flanks, but as you make the final climb to the plateau you enter sub-tropical rain forests that apparently hail back to the super-continent of Gondwana.  Pretty impressive huh! At one point in time Australia was covered with rainforest, but as Gondwana split apart and the climate changed the continent dried out and so the remains of these ancient rainforests are now limited to a scattering of mountain tops along the east coast of Australia...and we've got some just up the road!

Now trying the tempt the rainforest down the hill to grow around the Holt is a bit of a non-starter.  I've tried to grow a small patch utilizing the grey water from out bio tanks, but realistically its just too warm and too dry down here.  So, if I want to enjoy the rain forest I have to take a short drive up the hill (or a long steep walk) and at the top there are a number of preserved areas with interesting walks to enjoy.  I'm stating the obvious here, but the flora and fauna is dramatically different from around the Holt and so each trip is quite an adventure.  I avoid the trails on the weekend as they are very popular amongst the tourists and few of the timid beasties that dwell within the deep green will hang around when there's a troupe of Korean holidaymakers tramping through the glens.  So, the best time to go is during the week, and preferably as soon after dawn as possible so that you still catch the shy nocturnals grabbing a last snack before hunkering down behind the verdant cloak to sit out the day.

As you wander the paths you need to keep your ears open as you are more likely to be alerted to the presence of something by the rustle of leaves than by seeing something; however, a good indicator of the likelihood of the local inhabitants being around is their food being left around.  Contrary to general opinion animals aren't tidy creatures and they completely ignore signs about littering, but that is to our advantage because it gives us clues to their whereabouts.

A part eaten Black Apple.

What a mess!

and noting the uneaten fruit can provide further indications of hungry critturs.

An invasive weed, the pretty Mickey Mouse plant.

The Rose-leaved Raspberry

and the Veiny Morinda

It should be pointed out that I am NOT an expert on Rainforest flora and I have no idea as to whether these fruits are poisonous or otherwise to humans, so please don't try to taste them just because they look pretty.

Anyway, back to my walk.  Perhaps one of my favourite routes is the less well trod Palm Grove section where there are oodles of Red-legged Pademelons.

Mum and Joey munching some green stuff

A passing male is enough for Joey to nip back indoors for safety.

But soon reappears to checkout the munching sounds.

These charming creatures are very skittish, but quite common on the trail.

Yup, I'm watching you guys.

and a passing male further along the track.

The Rainforest provides a home for a great deal more species of furry beasties, but for now I'll move on to my feathered friends.  Perhaps one of the more commonly seen birds in the rain forest is the Pale Yellow Robin, who obligingly pops down to see who is creeping along the track.

Pale Yellow Robin

Another frequently seen small brown job is the Brown Thornbill that can often be seen in small groups scuttling around amongst the shrubs as they hunt for insects.  The giveaway hat they are around is their call, a quiet, but insistent high pitched 'seee' or some fussy squeaks.

At 10cm the Brown Thornbill is one of Australia's smallest birds.

 Little Shrike Thrush are somewhat larger, but less common, but even so they are not an unusual sight amongst the lower branches.

The Little Shrike Thrush

Another Thrush, but less common, is the Bassian Thrush

The Bassian Thrush is more commonly found in the gloom.

You are more likely to find some birds nearer the edges of the forests. Not because they don't live in the deeper sections, but it is at the edges where they come down to feed.

The male Satin Bowerbird searching for food on a lawn that borders the rain forest.

and his mate, Mrs Bowerbird.

One bird I almost always hear, but less commonly see is the Wompoo Fruit Dove... I've often mistaken their call for people talking further down the track, but once you get used to it the call is an unmistakable deep and gruff 'wollack-a-woo'.

The Wompoo Fruit Dove

Whilst the Wompoo seems to spend its time high in the upper canopy the Log Runner clearly lives on the forest floor and its the rustle of leaves that will mostly indicate their presence.

A male Logrunner with a white throat

and the female with an orange throat.

Other birds that are more usual on the forest floor include...

The White-browed Scrubwren

and the elusive Noisy Pitta

Somewhat less common, but dazzling when you see them are the...

A Paradise Riflebird

Regents Bowerbird

Now there's one big omission from this list, Albert's Lyrebird, and that's because I have yet to get a decent shot of one.  I now refer to my chase of the Lyrebird as 'Hunting the Snark' and am setting out on regular expeditions to get a decent picture of one.  So at this point I shall leave you until the end of the month report.  Cheers